parks



@mnh @anni @Hirn BENJAMIN M. PARKS, OF ST. LOUIS, ASSIGNOR- TO HIMSELF, A. O. ROBIN- SON, AND WILLIAM SEYMOUR, OF LOUISIANAQMISSOURI.

Letters Patent No. 82,868, dated October 6, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRUNING-HOOKS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN M. PARKS, of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis, and State of Missouri, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Pruning-Hooks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and clear description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to an improved form of pruning-hook, to be operated by a person standing on the ground, and consists of a straight pole,'having a pair of pruningshears attached to its upper end, and operated by a peculiar arrangement of levers, connecting-rods, and springs, the general construction and operation of the parts being such that the apparatus may be operated by one'or both hands, as occasion ,may'require To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my improved pruning-hook, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation. l i l The accompanying drawings represent a side elevation of the improved pruning-hook.

The rod A has a hooked knife, a, attached to its upper end, and by the `side of this hooked knife, and

attached to it by means of a pivot-joint, is a convex knife-blade, a', the two operating together shearwise, much in the same manner as other improved pruning-hooks. The hack end of the knife a. extends behind the rod- A one or two inches, (more or less,) and is connected withthe adjustable lever B by means of' the connectingrod b, and the outer end of the lever B is connected with the' adjustable lever C by means of the connectingrod c, and the rod d connects this latter lever with the hand-slide D, whichmay be used when it is desirable to use' only one hand to operate the machine. The levers B and O have numerous holes, :v x', into which the-rods 6 e may be hooked, so as to regulate the apparatus in any desired manner that may be required for cutting dilTerent-sized branches. The lever B has its fulcrum securely fixed in the top end of the pole, but the fnlcrum of the lever O is provided in the adjustable band c', which may be moved up or down on the rod A to suit any of the adjustments of the rods b c d, that may become necessary, and the said band c1 may be secured to the rod A, in any required position, by means of thc setscrew c2. The hand-slide D is arranged. to slide up and down on therod A,.anrl is to be usedl when only one hand is to be employed in the pruning operation. This L Y.A elide-/piece may, however, he entirely dispensed with when the operator desires to use both hands, in which case h e will grasp with one hand the lower end of the rod A, and with the other hand the outer'end of the lever/CQ] A spring, is placed on top of or under the lever B, in such :iv .position as to hold the shears a a partially i-u the opened position. p

I do in nowise claim the specific devices here named as my invention; but What I do claim, is- 'The hand-slide D, when operating by the rods d and c, the lever C, rod b, lever B, th lower knife a', -against the pressure of the spring E, and arranged in combination with the rod A, and the hookknife a, substantially as herein set forth. i

BENJ. M. PARKS.

Witnesses:

M. RANDOLPH,

Gro. P. Hnn'rnnn, Jr. 

